COLLEGE PLANNING GUIDE MONTH-BY-MONTH
August 31, 2016
Preparing for college is important. The schedule below is intended to help you with the college planning process. This is not intended to be an all inclusive list--just a guide to help you in the planning process.
Spring Junior Year
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Begin preparing for the ACT administered on campus during the spring
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Utilize offered ACT prep classes on campus
August Senior Year
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List your top college choices
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Request admissions information and school catalogs
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Schedule visits to college campuses
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Compare costs of each school that interests you
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Look carefully at pros and cons of each university
September/October Senior Year
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Submit your college applications
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Search and apply for scholarships from a varienty of sources, including your college(s) of choice
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Check with the college(s) to see if you need to complete a College Scholarship Services (CSS) profile or a Financial Aid form
November/December Senior Year
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Get your Personal Identification Number (PIN) for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application at pin.ed.gov.
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Gather the data needed to the FAFSA
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Use fafsa4caster.ed.gov and Net Price Calculator on college websites to determine costs for going to college
January Senior Year
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Complete the FAFSA online at fafsa.ed.gov as soon as possible after January 1
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Apply, apply, APPLY for scholarships!
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Check with your top colleges for FAFSA, institutional, and state aid priority deadlines
February/March Senior Year
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Continue applying for scholarships
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Look in the mail for your Student Aid Report and your financial aid award letter
April/May Senior Year
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Make your final selection of the college you want to attend
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Send in the deposit by the required deadline
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Consider all funding options to cover costs of college after reviewing award letter(s)
June/July After Graduation
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Determine how much additional money you may need to pay for college expenses
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After exhausting grants, scholarships, and other aid--if you have additional expenses--consider applying for a private student loan to help cover your education costs